2002 Diaz pipeline incident

The 2002 Diaz pipeline incident was a chemical leak at the Diaz Chemical Corporation site in Holley, New York. On January 5th, 2002, at approximately 9:30 am, a faulty reactor vessel's pipeline carrying chemicals underground from inside the Diaz chemical plant burst open, releasing approximately 80 gallons of thionyl chloride, chloroacetyl chloride, toluene, 2-chloro-6-fluorophenol & related chemicals, and chlorobenzene into the soil, atmosphere, and into local homes, and contaminating 3,100 tons of concrete. Citizens complained of nosebleeds, eye irritation, sore throat, headache, and skin rash. Due to some of the chemicals involved being cancerous or able to cause other chronic health issues, this caused the evacuation of eight families and other houses in the area to be left abandoned, temporarily leaving Holley as a ghost town. As of 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) believed that only 10% of all the chemicals released into the groundwater & soil have been cleaned up, but the Holley, NY town board claims otherwise, and that they have tested the soil and groundwater shown different results.

Abandonment of chemical plant

Shortly after the town evacuation and abandonment of several houses, the former residents of Holley launched a 60 million dollar civil lawsuit against Diaz, which resulted in the company filing for bankruptcy, and abandoning the former chemical plant, leaving behind reactor vessels, filled chemical drums, and 750 tons of contaminated scrap metal.